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Scale · 7 notes

E♯ Locrian Scale

E♯ Locrian is a 7-note scale with the notes E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯. It sounds unstable and dissonant, built on a diminished fifth.

E♯BC♯D♯F♯G♯A♯

Purple = E♯ (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every E♯ locrian note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BD♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯

Blue = E♯ (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the E♯ Locrian scale

DegreeNoteName
1E♯Tonic
♭2F♯Supertonic
♭3G♯Mediant
4A♯Subdominant
♭5BDominant
♭6C♯Submediant
♭7D♯Subtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯.

E♯ Locrian scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

Chords in the E♯ Locrian scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
i°E♯°E♯ø7
IIF♯F♯maj7
iiiG♯mG♯m7
ivA♯mA♯m7
VBBmaj7
VIC♯C♯7
viiD♯mD♯m7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

Related scales

  • Parent major scale: F♯ Major, which has exactly the same notes as E♯ Locrian.

How to practise the E♯ Locrian scale

Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the E♯ Locrian scale?

The notes of the E♯ Locrian scale are E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯.

What is the formula for the E♯ Locrian scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

What chords are in the E♯ Locrian scale?

Built from the scale in triads: E♯°, F♯, G♯m, A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m.

More E♯ scales

E♯ Phrygian, E♯ Minor Pentatonic, E♯ Blues, E♯ Altered

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.